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“Okay, that’s okay,” he said, but she could hear the worry

“It’s not okay” She barked out a h “I know it’s not okay But this is ood It’s good that you see this now It’s good you knohat I’et too serious between us”

“You’re not a freak and things are already serious between us”

She ignored hio Saw a psychiatrist and tried to get him to fix me” She looked at Joe “He said he wouldn’t He said there was nothing wrong with me That I was just built this way and no a, Joe? I’m unfixable This is it Forever”

He shook his head “I didn’t hear that I heard you tellwith you And he was right”

“Yes, I’ back tears “I’er is worse I feel it in the air It presses in onme insane from the tension Raw emotion makes my skin crawl I feel it inside of et it to stop My skin hurts Touch is painful Lights are too bright Noise is too loud Whatever you hear or see, I experience nified a million times over”

“I didn’t realise”

“Hypersensitivity, they call it There’s actually a name for it No cure, but a naet paralysed with shyness and I’htful to be around” She felt a tear run down her cheek as she cocked her head “You still want me, Joe? You still think I’m normal?”

“Baby” His voice was agonisingly soft

She shook her head She’d been so foolish to hope for a future To think she had a chance at normal Normal was for other people The best she could hope for was uneventful

“I don’t want to see you any between us to be over”

He shook his head “I don’t accept that”

“Why? Do you think if we just try hard enough I won’t be like this anymore? You think you can fix me, Joe?”

He reached for her again but stopped himself “You don’t need to be fixed”

“Right” She gave a brittle laugh